massacres of the south-第27章

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magnificent　bay　horse；　the　same　which　he　had　taken　from　M。　de　La
Jonquiere　on　the　bloody　day　of　Vergenne。

The　lieutenant　of　the　guard　met　him　at　the　gate。　　Cavalier　quickly
dismounted；　and　throwing　the　bridle　of　his　horse　to　one　of　his　men；
he　entered　the　garden；　and　advanced　towards　the　expectant　group；
which　was　composed；　as　we　have　said；　of　Villars；　Baville；　and
Sandricourt。　　As　he　drew　near；　M。　de　Villars　regarded　him　with
growing　astonishment；　for　he　could　not　believe　that　in　the　young
man；　or　rather　boy；　before　him　he　saw　the　terrible　Cevenol　chief；
whose　name　alone　made　the　bravest　soldiers　tremble。　　Cavalier　at　this
period　had　just　completed　his　twenty…fourth　year；　but；　thanks　to　his
fair　hair　which　fell　in　long　locks　over　his　shoulders；　and　to　the
gentle　expression　of　his　eyes　he　did　not　appear　more　than　eighteen。
Cavalier　was　acquainted　with　none　of　the　men　in　whose　presence　he
stood；　but　he　noticed　M。　de　Villars'　rich　dress　and　air　of　command。
He　therefore　saluted　him　first；　afterwards；　turning　towards　the
others；　he　bowed　to　each；　but　less　profoundly；　then　somewhat
embarrassed　and　with　downcast　eyes　be　stood　motionless　and　silent。
The　marechal　still　continued　to　look　at　him　in　silent　astonishment；
turning　from　time　to　time　to　Baville　and　Sandricourt；　as　if　to　assure
himself　that　there　was　no　mistake　and　that　it　was　really　the　man　whom
they　expected　who　stood　before　them。　　At　last；　doubting　still；　in
spite　of　the　signs　they　made　to　reassure　him；　he　asked

〃Are　you　really　Jean　Cavalier？〃

〃Yes；　monseigneur；〃　was　the　reply；　given　in　an　unsteady　voice。

〃But　I　mean　Jean　Cavalier；　the　Camisard　general；　he　who　has　assumed
the　title　of　Duke　of　the　Cevennes。〃

〃I　have　not　assumed　that　title；　monseigneur；　only　some　people　call　me
so　in　joke：　the　king　alone　has　the　right　to　confer　titles；　and　I
rejoice　exceedingly；　monseigneur；　that　he　has　given　you　that　of
governor　of　Languedoc。〃

〃When　you　are　speaking　of　the　king；　why　do　you　not　say　'His
Majesty'？〃　said　M。　de　Baville。　　〃Upon　my　soul；　the　king　is　too　good
to　treat　thus　with　a　rebel。〃

The　blood　rushed　to　Cavalier's　head；　his　face　flamed；　and　after　a
moment's　pause；　fixing　his　eye　boldly　upon　M。　de　Baville；　and
speaking　in　a　voice　which　was　now　as　firm　as　it　had　been　tremulous　a
moment　before；　he　said；　〃If　you　have　only　brought　me　here；　sir；　to
speak　to　me　in　such　a　manner；　you　might　better　have　left　me　in　my
mountains；　and　come　there　yourself　to　take　a　lesson　in　hospitality。
If　I　am　a　rebel；　it　is　not　I　who　am　answerable；　for　it　was　the
tyranny　and　cruelty　of　M。　de　Baville　which　forced　us　to　have　recourse
to　arms；　and　if　history　takes　exception　to　anything　connected　with
the　great　monarch　for　whose　pardon　I　sue　to…day；　it　will　be；　I　hope；
not　that　he　had　foes　like　me；　but　friends　like　him。〃

M。　de　Baville　grew　pale　with　anger；　for　whether　Cavalier　knew　to　whom
he　was　speaking　or　not；　his　words　had　the　effect　of　a　violent　blow
full　in　his　face；　but　before　he　could　reply　M。　de　Villars　interposed。

〃Your　business　is　only　with　me；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃　attend　to　me　alone；
I　beg：　I　speak　in　the　name　of　the　king；　and　the　king；　of　his
clemency；　wishes　to　spare　his　subjects　by　treating　them　with
tenderness。〃

Cavalier　opened　his　mouth　to　reply；　but　the　intendant　cut　him　short。

〃I　should　hope　that　that　suffices；〃　he　said　contemptuously：　〃as
pardon　is　more　than　you　could　have　hoped　for；　I　suppose　you　are　not
going　to　insist　on　the　other　conditions　you　laid　down？〃

〃But　it　is　precisely　those　other　conditions；〃　said　Cavalier；
addressing　himself　to　M。　de　Villars；　and　not　seeming　to　see　that
anyone　else　was　present；　〃for　which　we　have　fought。　　If　I　were　alone；
sir；　I　should　give　myself　up；　bound　hand　and　foot；　with　entire
confidence　in　your　good　faith；　demanding　no　assurances　and　exacting
no　conditions；　but　I　stand　here　to　defend　the　interests　of　my
brethren　and　friends　who　trust　me；　and　what　is　more；　things　have　gone
so　far　that　we　must　either　die　weapon　in　hand；　or　obtain　our　rights。〃

The　intendant　was　about　to　speak；　but　the　marechal　stopped　him　with
such　an　imperative　gesture　that　he　stepped　back　as　if　to　show　that　he
washed　his　hands　of　the　whole　matter。

〃What　are　those　rights？　　Are　they　those　which　M。　Lalande　has
transmitted　to　me　by　word　of　mouth？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃It　would　be　well　to　commit　them　to　writing。〃

〃I　have　done　so；　monseigneur；　and　sent　a　copy　to　M。　d'Aygaliers。〃

〃I　have　not　seen　it；　sir；　make　me　another　copy　and　place　it　in　my
hands；　I　beg。〃

〃I　shall　go　and　set　about　it　directly；　monseigneur；〃　stepping　back　as
if　about　to　withdraw。

〃One　moment！〃　said　the　marechal；　detaining　him　by　a　smile。　　〃Is　it
true　that　you　are　willing　to　enter　the　king's　army？〃

〃I　am　more　than　willing；　I　desire　it　with　all　my　heart；〃　exclaimed
Cavalier；　with　the　frank　enthusiasm　natural　to　his　age；　〃but　I　cannot
do　so　till　our　just　demands　are　granted。〃

〃But　if　they　were　granted？〃

〃Then；　sir；〃　replied　Cavalier；　〃the　king　has　never　had　more　loyal
subjects　than　we　shall　be。〃

〃Well；　have　a　little　patience　and　everything　will　be　arranged；　I
hope。〃

〃May　God　grant　it！〃　said　Cavalier。　　〃He　is　my　witness　that　we　desire
peace　beyond　everything。〃　　And　he　took　another　step　backwards。

〃You　will　not　go　too　far　away；　I　hope；〃　said　the　marechal。

〃We　shall　remain　wherever　your　excellency　may　appoint；〃　said
Cavalier。

Very　well；〃　continued　M。　de　Villars；　〃halt　at　Calvisson；　and　try　all
you　can　to　induce　the　other　leaders　to　follow　your　example。〃

〃I　shall　do　my　best；　monseigneur；　but　while　we　await　His　Majesty's
reply　shall　we　be　allowed　to　fulfil　our　religious　duties　unimpeded？〃

〃Yes；　I　shall　give　orders　that　you　are　to　have　full　liberty　in　that
respect。〃

〃Thanks；　monseigneur。〃

Cavalier　bowed　once　more；　and　was　about　to　go；　but　M。　de　Villars
accompanied　him　and　Lalande；　who　had　now　joined　them；　and　who　stood
with　his　hand　on　Cavalier's　shoulder；　a　few　steps　farther。　　Catinat
seeing　that　the　conference　was　at　an　end；　entered　the　garden　with　his
men。　　Thereupon　M。　de　Villars　took　leave；　saying　distinctly；　〃　Adieu；
Seigneur　Cavalier；〃　and　withdrew；　leaving　the　young　chief　surrounded
by　a　dozen　persons　all　wanting　to　speak　to　him　at　once。　　For　half　an
hour　he　was　detained　by　questions；　to　all　of　which　he　replied
pleasantly。　　On　one　finger　was　an　emerald　taken　from　a　naval　officer
named　Didier；　whom　he　had　killed　with　his　own　hand　in　the　action　at
Devois　de　Martignargues；　he　kept　time　by　a　superb　watch　which　had
belonged　to　M。　d'Acqueville；　the　second　in　command　of　the　marines；
and　he　offered　his　questioners　from　time　to　time　perfumed　snuff　from
a　magnificent　snuffbox；　which　he　had　found　in　the　holsters　when　he
took　possession　of　M。　de　La　Jonquiere's　horse。　　He　told　everyone　who
wished　to　listen　that　he　had　never　intended　to　revolt　against　the
king；　and　that　he　was　now　ready　to　shed　the　last　drop　of　his　blood　in
his　service；　that　he　had　several　times　offered　to　surrender　on
condition　that　liberty　of　conscience　was　granted　to　those　of　the　new
faith；　but　that　M。　de　Montrevel　had　always　rejected　his　offers；　so
that　he　had　been　obliged　to　remain　under　arms；　in　order　to　deliver
those　who　were　in　prison；　and　to　gain　permission　for　those　who　were
free　to　worship　God　in　their　own　way。

He　said　these　things　in　an　unembarrassed　and　graceful　manner；　hat　in
hand；　then　passing　through　the　crowd　which　had　gathered　outside　the
garden　of　the　Recollets；　he　repaired　to　the　Hotel　de　la　Poste　for
lunch；　and　afterwards　walked　along　the　Esplanade　to　the　house　of　one
Guy　Billard；　a　gardener；　who　was　his　head　prophet's　father。　　As　he
thus　moved　about　he　was　preceded　by　two　Camisards　with　drawn　swords；
who　made　way　for　him；　and　several　ladies　were　presented　to　him　who
were　happy　to　touch　his　doublet。　　The　visit　over；　he　once　again
passed　along　the　Esplanade；　still　preceded　by　his　two　Camisards；　and
just　as　he　passed　the　Little　Convent　he　and　those　with　him　struck　up
a　psalm　tune；　and　continued　singing　till　they　reached　Saint…Cesaire；
where　the　hostages　were。　　These　he　at　once　sent　back。

Five　hundred　persons　from　Nimes　were　awaiting　him；　refreshments　were
offered　to　him；　wh